Evaluating the effects of topography on the survival of Vetiver grass in the Kechik catchment

Soil conservation projects are required in most parts of Iran due to the severe vegetation removal and accelerated soil erosion. Vegetation as a bio-engineering tool has been used for erosion and sediment control in many ecosystems around the world. Vetiver grass is a highly valuable bioengineering technique that offers various benefits to the ecosystems. This species can be used for soil erosion control in sensitive areas such as Loess of East Golestan province. This study aimed to study the effects of ecological factors on the survival of the species. The result of this study can be used as a guide to large-scale cultivation of Vetiver in the area. The effects of topographic factors (three elevation ranges, two slopes, and two different directions) on the survival and some vegetation characteristics of Vetiver cuttings were studied in the Kechik catchment. Factorial analysis of variance was used to evaluate the effects of altitude and direction on the species survival, and independent T test was also performed to study the effects of slop on the species characteristics. According to the results, topographic factors did not have any significant effects on survival of Vetiver grass in the Kechik catchment. The results indicated that the elevation ranges had significant effect on the mean of height, crown, and root length of Vetiver grass (p< 0.05), while other studied topographic factors did not have significant effects on the measured plant characteristics (p> 0.05).